Tag Archives: Mike French

You know how nice it would be to actually be published? Most of us can only dream of this happy state of affairs, but some of you know. Some of you might even have found that your book gets sold (which is sort of what one imagines happens to books), whether it’s fifteen copies to your friends and neighbours, or even 15,000 to those with a great many friends and neighbours. The latter is obviously to be preferred, but I imagine that both scenarios feel ‘normal’, once you’ve been published.

And then there is Mike French who is in the situation where you find out that amazon takes people’s orders, but can’t be bothered to order in copies of the book to send to the customers who placed the orders. Right now it seems you can buy anything on amazon, except The Ascent of Isaac Steward.

Which is a shame after all the hard work Mike has put in, writing not just the novel itself, but a number of letters to our online giant. For those of you suffering from a phobia of giants, I can tell you there is no need to worry, because it’s a very feeble beast, unable to do anything much at all.

Not sure where this chap got his copy from. Maybe he’s a powerful man?

My first paragraph on today’s bites has nothing to do with animals at all. It’s my editor (I do like the sound of that!) Mike French on The View From Here who has started up a blog. I can only assume Mike became jealous of the fun that can be had with a blog. And he seems to have got himself a publishing contract for his first novel, The Ascent of Isaac Steward. That might be it.

Armadillo Magazine’s Christmas edition is hot off the internet this week with a few good reviews and other bookish stuff.

Sara Paretsky has been interviewed by Bark Magazine about her dogs. Both she and V I love dogs, but it seems it wasn’t always thus. Great angle, and lovely for dog owners. It would suggest all hope for me is not yet lost, although I wouldn’t hope too much if I were you. Or me.

I had my first Christmas present this week when someone sent me an early draft of a few chapters of a YA novel they are sort of working on. Absolutely marvellous, and very funny. It’s got lots of goats in it. But not only is the story not finished yet, but with publishing being what it is, I’m afraid I’ll be the only reader.

As you may know I read very carelessly, sometimes. Especially when I’m out and about. I read signs and posters and see something that’s not there. My local betting shop (no, I do not bet) had a poster about AUK millionaire guaranteed. I’m so pleased. It’s time those poor birds did well. It could be the same place that advertised ‘smoking skills’. If required.

On more recent occasions we have opted to shop, or merely browse, at the Scottish Antique & Arts Centre outside Doune, and then got in the car to have tea somewhere else. But then, it can be nice to sit … Continue reading →